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Survival of the Fittest
Season One, Episode 9
Survival of the Fitess
Air date March 3, 2001
Written by Pamela Hickey
Dennys McCoy
Directed by Gary Graham
Episode Guide
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"You want that ribbon so bad? I'll pin it to your forehead, freak."
Rogue

Premise[]

While the X-Men and Brotherhood are at a summer camp learning survival training, Mystique releases Cain Marko -- the unstoppable Juggernaut -- in hopes of getting his help in obtaining Xavier's mutant location system, Cerebro. But when the unstoppable mutant threatens both Charles and Mystique, the X-Men and Brotherhood must learn to cooperate and work together in order to stop him.

Summary[]

Mystique breaks Juggernaut out of his high-tech prison cell, Stokes County Maximum Security Facility where he was being held in stasis.

Survival Fittest - group shot, F this

Guys, I'm out...

In the mountains, Scott, Jean, Kurt, Kitty, Evan, and Rogue have just shipped in to a survival training camp. Scott is chosen to be group leader due to his scholastic achievements. When Sergeant Hawke leaves the kids grumble about being there. Rogue says she's going AWOL and asks if anyone knows how to hot-wire a school bus. Scott stops them and Jean says it's either this or survival training with Wolverine. They all grab their bags and move off grumbling.

The Brotherhood Todd, Fred, Lance, and Pietro are mad because Scott was chosen to be leader. When Sgt. Hawk leaves Blob says he wants to get them alone and lose them in the woods. Lance says that they'll beat them where it'll hurt the most, in public.

Survival Fittest - mystiqu pissy

You idiot!...

Back at the prison, Mystique tries to make a deal with Juggernaut. She says she'll get him out and take him to Xavier for revenge, all he has to do is bring her Cerebro. She gives him back his helmet and turns around to lead him out. He knocks her down and tells her that no one takes him anywhere, or gets in his way. Then he smashes his way out of the prison.

Back at the camp, Lance and Scott race over an obstacle course. Lance uses his power to dunk Scott in the river. Spyke starts to go after Lance, but Jean stops him and says that they've agreed not to use powers. She says Scott can deal with Lance like a leader. Scott uses an optic blast to knock Lance out of his raft. He then takes Lance's raft and wins the race. Jean says "or not".

Survival Fittest - fight it out

We will take you!

The X-Men and Brotherhood face off and argue over who should have won fairly. Hawk blows the whistle and makes them all do push-ups. He tells them that if they want to prove how tough they are, they have to get a flag from the top of Mt. Humiliation. Quicksilver says he can get the flag while his team takes a break, Nightcrawler says "not before I can". Hawk tells them that the whole team has to reach the top and retrieve the flag together.

Lance and Scott go after each other again and Jean breaks them up. They all agree not to use their powers to get the flag, but to play "fair". Both teams take off.

Survival Fittest - logan n char

Professor X and Logan tracking Juggernaut.

Back at the Institute, Charles Xavier is keeping track of the X-Kids with Cerebro. Logan asks if Xavier told them not to use their powers. Xavier tells him that he had hoped they'd use their own judgment and decide not to. Wolverine says that he should have taken care of their survival training himself, and Xavier tells him that the kids felt they had a better chance of surviving the camp.

Cerebro picks up a signature and Xavier finds out that it's Juggernaut on the loose. Xavier explains to Wolverine that Juggernaut is Cain Marko, Xavier's half-brother, and how he used mysticism to awaken his dormant X-gene. Juggernaut is now virtually invulnerable and wants to take revenge on Xavier for having him locked away. They show Juggernaut trashing police cars.

Survival Fittest - lance n petro up mountain

Yaye! Winning!

At camp, the X-kids are running full tilt, and complaining about Scott, how all he cares about is winning the race. Meanwhile, Toad scouts ahead for the Brotherhood, while Blob drags Quicksilver and Avalanche up the side of the mountain with ropes.

Storm takes off in the X-jet, she flies above the area where Juggernaut is traveling and creates a dense fog. Xavier believes that it will keep others from trying to catch Juggernaut and getting hurt. Wolverine suits up and heads out to try and stop him.

Survival Fittest - lance pissed w toad n petro

Now we are going to loose!

The Brotherhood find an abandoned mine that leads to the top and starts through it. Scott sends Kurt up to make sure that the flag is still up top. Then he gets Evan to Spyke a rope up to the top so they can win. Evan asks if he's sure he wants to do it that way and Scott says yes. Scott starts up the rope, but when he looks back, the other X-Men are staring at him disapprovingly. Jean starts climbing up the mountain by hand.

The Brotherhood reach the end of the tunnel, but it's blocked. Avalanche starts to get angry, but Quicksilver and Toad talk him into using his powers to "shake" the debris loose. When he tries the tunnel collapses in on them. The X-Kids are almost to the flag when the tremors start. Spyke is knocked off of the wall, but Jean saves him with her telekinesis. When Scott tries to get her to levitate them all to the top she refuses. He says that she just used it for Spyke and asks her what's the difference. Jean gets mad and tells him that a real X-Man would know the difference. Rogue finds the Brotherhood at the bottom of a shaft. Toad begs them not to leave them behind over a stupid race. Scott tells them they won't.

Survival Fittest - wolv tossed

Wolverine thrown through a wall by Juggernaut.

Juggernaut finally arrives at the Institute, with Mystique not too far behind. Wolverine meets him at the front door and tries to bring him down. Juggernaut flings Wolverine through the front of the house and follows him in, with Mystique sneaking in behind. As Juggernaut and Wolverine fight they cause massive damage, including destroying Cerebro. Mystique finds Cerebro and is furious.

Juggernaut reaches the Danger Room (where the professor is hiding) and knocks out Wolverine. Mystique comes in, yelling at Juggernaut for not holding up his end of the deal. He knocks her away and tells her that he doesn't make deals. Mystique crawls backwards and is trapped with Xavier as Juggernaut advances.

Survival Fittest - pic group

Winning picture.

On the mountain, the X-Kids save the Brotherhood. As they're pulling out the last one, Avalanche, the Blob points towards the flag and Quicksilver takes off. Nightcrawler ports up and they reach the flag at the same time and begin wrestling over it. The X-Jet pulls up suddenly and Storm tells them over the loud speaker that Xavier and Mystique are in trouble. Scott asks Lance if he's ready and he replies "Let's go!". The X-Jet flies by Sgt. Hawk and the flag and a pic of all of the X-Men and Brotherhood at the top of the mountain drops to the ground beside him.

Survival Fittest - cyc hero

Cyclops fighting Professor X.

At the Institute, Xavier tries to talk Juggernaut out of harming him. When Juggernaut won't listen Xavier activates the Danger Room. Juggernaut destroys everything in his path and is about to reach Xavier when the X-Kids and the Brotherhood arrive. He reaches for Xavier, but Jean uses her telekinesis to pull him away. She can't hold him long though and collapses.

Wolverine tells them to try to get Juggernaut's helmet. Juggernaut goes for Jean, but the Blob rushes in and knocks him away from her. Nightcrawler teleports in while he's stunned and unlatches one of the four latches holding on his helmet. Juggernaut throws Nightcrawler and then charges the Blob and knocks him back across the Danger Room.

Survival Fittest - rogue n kitty in action

Kitty and Rogue joining the fight.

Cyclops blasts him, but Juggernaut picks up a piece of the Dange Room wreckage and throws it at him. Avalanche uses his tremors and is able to make him stumble. Quicksilver is able to get to him long enough to open another latch. Juggernaut throws Quicksilver off, but Storm steps up and disorients him with wind gusts. He stumbles back and falls. Kit and Rogue phase out of the wall and are able to get the last two latches. Toad uses his tongue to grab Juggernaut's helmet and yank it free. Xavier is then able to use his powers to take out Juggernaut.

As the X-Kids and Brotherhood cheer and congratulate one another, Mystique comments about it not being a sight you see everyday. Xavier agrees and Mystique takes the Brotherhood home.

Later Xavier returns Cain to prison. On the way out Jean and Scott flirt and then talk about how good it was to fight along side the Brotherhood.

Quotes[]

Kitty: Oh, I'm gonna be dead in, like, two days!
Evan: What about me? I'm a city kid!
Kurt: What did we ever do to deserve this?
Rogue: I'm going AWOL. Anyone know how to hot wire a school bus?


(after Scott was named group leader at survival camp)
Fred: Group leader, scholastic achievements. That should have been me!
Pietro: You can't even spell scholastic achievement, Blob.
Fred: No, but I can spell duped.


Mystique: Now I have a plane waiting. It will take you....
(Juggernaut pushes Mystique down)
Juggernaut: No one, no one takes Juggernaut anywhere. And nothing gets in my way.
Mystique: Charming.


Jean: Yeah, well, Scott's cool. He'll handle it like a group leader should.
(Scott blows Lance out of his boat with his powers.) Or not.


Logan: I still say you should have let me handle their survival training
Xavier: I gave them that choice, Logan. They felt they had a better chance of surviving the camp.


Fred: That loser Scott should've lost, and you know it.<
Pietro: Yeah. Just because he slipped and took a bath, the guy went ballistic.
Kurt: Slipped?! More like avalanched!
Todd: (about Scott) He stole that first place ribbon!
Kitty: He did not!
Rogue: You want that ribbon so bad? I'll pin it to your forehead, freak.


Lance: Better say your farewells 'Sumner', cause you guys aren't coming back.
Scott: Oh, you got something in mind 'Rock Tumbler', cause I...
Jean: Scott! What do you think you're doing?
Scott: What? Nothing! I'm just fed up with those delinquents getting away with everything while we're stuck playing by the rules
Lance: Hey! We don't need our powers to beat you.
Scott: Aw, fine then. We'll all play it straight and you know what? We'll wave to you from the top.
(Lance and Scott stomp away)
Jean: Good. That's the deal. We're all competing fair; no powers, and I personally am very proud....
(Scott grabs her arm and pulls her away)
Scott: Come on, Jean!


Pietro: Man, if he slips and falls we are history! Death by blubber bomb!


Juggernaut: Lay out the welcome mat, brother. I'm coming home.


Juggernaut: You can't stop the Juggernaut!
Wolverine: Forgive me for trying, bub!


Blob: (to Juggernaut) Unstoppable? Meet the unmovable!


Mystique: (to the Brotherhood) Come on, boys; let's get out of here before you're invited to a slumber party.

Notes[]

  • Introduction of Juggernaut.
  • This is the first episode to feature the original full Brotherhood of Mutants together.
  • This episode joins the X-Men and The Brotherhood in battle for the first time.
  • Mystique purposely released Juggernaut.
  • After defeating JuggernautAvalanche tells Cyclops that he's not half bad as a team leader, and Cyclops tell him he can call the shots the next time. In Day Of Reckoning, Avalanche is the team leader due to Cyclops' absence.

Goofs

  • There are five students that are show in the first shots by the bus, then when we get closer, we never see them again.
  • Kurt was in his human form in the show, but his holo-watch wasn't even on throughout the entire episode.
  • When Logan and Xavier go into the Danger Room before Juggernaut's arrival, Logan is wearing his costume without the mask on, but then the camera pulls out and you can see it on, and a split second later, it's off again.

Trivia[]

  • This episode was originally titled "The Juggernaut Beats the Strong"
  • In Evolution, Xavier claims Cain had a dormant X-Gene which he awakened with mysticism. In Marvel Comics, Cain Marko was a human bolstered by the powers of the Cytorrak gemstones, which we will later be seen in "The Cauldron".
    • In the comics, Cain Marko is Xavier's stepbrother but in Evolution, he's Xavier's half-brother.
  • Throughout the series certain partial alliances occur between the teams, or some of their members.

Cast[]

Main Cast

Recurring Cast

Guest Cast

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